Auf Wunsch von Jörg Blasius weitergeleitet:

CALL FOR PAPERS

THE JOURNAL OF SPURIOUS CORRELATIONS

The Journal of Spurious Correlations (JSpurC) is a new publication affiliated with the Standing Group on Political Methodology of the European Consortium for Political Research. The Journal aims to further the methodological debate in social sciences, in particular to discuss problems of scientific inference at a practical level by reflecting on empirical analysis in relation with its underlying theoretical expectations. The first issue (2006) is dedicated to opening areas of investigation into the definition and use of negative results in social sciences. Submissions to the first issue of JSpurC are invited in three forms: full papers, reports of actual negative results and proposals for topics and authors.

Papers are expected to address the meta-analysis of social science methodology, touching on but not limited to the questions of 'what is a negative result?', 'what are 'good' and publishable negative results?', and issues such as the critique of specific methods and the reconciliation of qualitative and quantitative approaches.

The 'negative results' are a form of publication particular to JSpurC and will form its core content. JSpurC Negative Results are (previously) unpublishable by-products of social science research that do not fit the conventional constraints of their narrow research, but once published will aid social scientists at large working from alternative perspectives to refine theory or method. JSpurC will collect and publish negative results accompanied by the author's and third party comments moderated by the editorial board.

Papers and negative results will pass a blind referee process. Negative Results will additionally acquire third party comments through a moderated communication process between authors and commentators. The proposals will be evaluated by the editorial board. As an experiment, the Journal seeks to pioneer the use of 'triple blind publication' as an option for the authors of negative results only. This allows authors to register their negative results anonymously until such time as the practice of publishing negative results became more widely accepted. This exercise is intended to provide an opportunity to receive comments and to further the discipline without placing undue burden on the researcher who produced the results.

For further details, please refer to Submission Guidelines (online at www.jspurc.org).

Completed papers and Negative Results should be submitted by January 30, 2006, but will be considered on rolling basis. Proposals for topics and authors are welcome at any time.

Proposals for topics and authors should be submitted as e-mail attachments to:

inquiry@jspurc.org

c/o. Ana Vasiliu and Janine Leschke

Completed papers and Negative Results should be submitted to the address below.

submitted@jspurc.org